not a free-living, or free-principled man;
in the conversation-visits of her learned and worthy Dr. Lewen, and in
her correspondencies, not with him only, but with other Divines
mentioned in her lat Will. Her _Mother_ was, upon the whole, a good
woman, who did credit to her birth and her fortune; and _both_ delighted
in her for those improvements and attainments, which gave her, _and them
in her_, a distinction that caused it to be said, that when she was out
of the family, it was considered but as a common family[62]. She was
moreover a Country Lady; and, as we have seen in Miss Howe's character
of her[63], took great delight in rural and houshold employments; tho'
qualified to adorn the brightest circle.

'It must be confessed, that we are not to look for _Clarissa's_ among
the _constant frequenters_ of Ranelagh and Vaux-hall, nor among those
who may be called _Daughters of the Card-table_. If we do, the character
of our Heroine may then indeed be justly thought not only improbable,
but unattainable. But we have neither room in this place, nor
inclination, to pursue a subject so invidious. We quit it therefore,
after we have _repeated_, that we _know_ there are _some_, and we _hope_
there are _many_, in the British dominions [or they are hardly any-where
in the European world] who, as far as _occasion_ has called upon them to
exert the like _humble_ and _modest_, yet _steady_ and _useful_,
virtues, have reached the perfections of a Clarissa.

* * * * *

'Having thus briefly taken notice of the most material objections that
have been made to different parts of this History, it is hoped we may be
allowed to add, That had we thought ourselves at liberty to give copies
of some of the many Letters that have been written on the other side of
the question, that is to say, in approbation of the Catastrophe, and of
the general Conduct and Execution of the work, by some of the most
eminent judges of composition in every branch of Literature; most of
what has been written in this Postscript might have been spared.

'But as the principal objection with many has lain against the length of
the piece, we shall add to what we have said above on that subject, in
the words of one of those eminent writers: 'That, _If_, in the History
before us, it shall be found, that the Spirit is _duly diffused
throughout_; that the Characters are _various and natural_; _well
distinguished_ and _uniformly supported_